Say hello to Marriner’s new flock…

Marriner Yarns has welcomed our very own flock of Romney Marsh sheep.

We are excited to start this journey with our own special flock and are looking forward to bringing our customers along every step of the way. The ladies have been getting to know their new home and are already looking rather fleecey. You will see more of them as they grow their fleece, when little lambs start frolicking, when they are sheared, and right up until we launch our very own Marriner wool.

What are Romney Marsh sheep?

Originating from the coast in Kent, The Romney has grown to be a huge part of sheep industries all over the world. They are a large and extremely hardy breed that shows resistance to disease and worms that might otherwise affect alternative breeds of sheep.

Romney’s produce ‘long-wool’ which will grow down their full leg, as well as onto the top of their head. Because of this, each sheep will produce around as much as 4 – 5 kg of raw fleece, ready to be cleaned and spun. The wool is considered be of finer quality at around 32 microns, making it considerably softer than some other typical sheep breeds which can be around 50 microns. Merino, for comparison, has been developed down to 11 microns.

Thought to be one of the more adaptable British fleeces, with its semi-lustrous appearance, and natural cream colour it is an extremely versatile and popular choice for knitting wool. It is also added to some products, such as carpets, to improve the overall quality.

What will happen to Marriner’s flock?

Our flock are currently continuing to grow their beautiful fleece and when they are ready, they will be sheared and their fleece collected. We will then be working closely with a professional spinner to create a brand new knitting and crochet wool to our specifications that we hope to share with you in a few months.

Our flock is fairly small at the moment, but we cannot wait until spring when we shall certainly see a group of Romney lambs joining their mothers to frolic in our fields.

To celebrate their arrival, we have launched a special limited edition sheep crochet kit, which you can buy here from £9.35.